YuGiOh! Avatar: Secrets of the Pharaoh
by Phantom 1
Summary: The Millennium Items, the Armlet, the Egyptian God Monsters, all are finally revealed. But the price for such knowledge might be too much to handle.
1. Solomon Moto and the Tomb

Well everyone, this is it, the big one, for all the marbles, all the cards (pun intended), the whole enchilada. This is where all of my years of fanfic writing comes together. To all those who have been with me since the beginning, I want to thank you all. This has been a long journey, and it's not over yet. So here we go. Prepare for shock and awe.

Yu-Gi-Oh! Avatar  
Secrets of the Pharaoh

Abstract: The Millennium Items, the Armlet, the original Avatar, the Tablet of the Pharaoh, all these mysteries and more are finally solved as Yugi and his friends finally learn the history behind the Shadow Games and why the Nameless Pharaoh is nameless.

* * *

Fanfic Chapter 283: Solomon Moto and the Tomb of the Nameless Pharaoh  
Episode Basis: Tomb of the Nameless Pharaoh

* * *

Bakura ran through the darkened street. Ducking into a gated off alleyway, he dropped to his knees to take a breath.

_"And just where do you think you're going?"_

"This can't be happening, not again." Bakura got up again and took off, cutting through a park to a church. "I should be safe in here."

The candles near the alter suddenly became lit as a deep voice laughed.

"Stop it, stay away," Bakura commanded.

_"I can't do that, we still have a mission to complete."_

"Mission?"

"_How quickly we forget, allow me to fresh your memory: does the term Millennium Items ring a bell? You promised to help me obtain all seven, but now we have only one. None of us will have any respite until all seven are gathered and the door to the afterlife is opened!" _Bakura gasped in horror. _"Don't worry, I know where most of them are and I need someone to take me to them. That's where you come in, you're my vessel, my only tangible link to the corporeal existence. Now stop resisting and join me."_

"Never!"

_"What makes you think I'm giving you a choice?"_

"You can't force me!" Bakura cried as the organ pipes started vibrating.

_"That's where you're wrong, mortal." _Suddenly, the stain glass windows around the church started shattering. Bakura screamed as sinister laughter echoed all around him.

* * *

Harold Kumara and Serenity Wheeler exited the movie theater. "Thanks for taking me out, Harold," Serenity said. "I had a lot of fun."

"Me too, Serenity. Um…" _Crap, why do I have such trouble talking to women one-on-one? _"Serenity, I was wondering if…"

"We should do this again sometime," Serenity interrupted.

"Yeah," Harold quickly agreed. "Absolutely."

Serenity chuckled, "Well I better get going."

"Will you be all right walking home, Serenity? I mean you're house is a long ways from here, isn't it?"

"I'm staying with Joey so I should be fine."

"Sorry," Harold said. "You came all this way just to see me."

"It was worth it," Serenity said. "Well, talk to you." And she ran off.

As Harold walked in the opposite direction, he thought, _My past has been settled and my present looks pretty good too. Maybe it's time to start thinking about the future. Katy and Uncle Leon promised me that there would be a job at Schroeder Corp, but Uncle Zigfried might give me a hard time. Maybe I could try finding out more about my father. I know one thing for certain… _He looked down at his Armlet. _Odion said I would be instrumental in helping Yugi recover the Pharaoh's memories. Finally, I get to be useful._

A loud female scream made him turn back, "Serenity?" What he saw made his blood run cold. Serenity was being dragged, literally kicking and screaming, into an alleyway. "Serenity!" He ran after her, transforming into his Avatar costume in mid-dash. He reached the alleyway and received a shock.

"You!"

Serenity's would-be kidnapper chuckled, "Well, well, well, Avatar, so we meet again."

Harold shook himself out of his stupor and aimed his armlet, "Release Serenity now!"

"As you wish." And just like that, Serenity was shoved, almost thrown into Harold's arms.

"Serenity, are you okay?"

"Harold, it's…"

"I know, stay behind me." He moved Serenity so that she was behind him. Serenity gripped onto Harold's cape as the Avatar aimed his armlet again. "Why did you do this?"

"That was simply my way of getting your attention."

"You could've just tapped me on my shoulder."

"Where's the fun in that?"

"What do you want?"

"To warn you, do not try to interfere this time around."

"And why would I not want to interfere?"

"Because with what I have planned, it would benefit me no matter what the outcome is."

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

"Search for me and find out." And the assailant turned and walked away.

"Wait!" Harold ran after the assailant but the assailant vanished. He went back to Serenity. "Serenity, are you all right?"

"Just a little shocked," she said. "Harold, what are you going to do?"

"First thing I'm going to do is drop you off at Joey's place." He hoisted Serenity onto his back and leapt onto the roof of a nearby building. He began jumping from rooftop to rooftop with gazelle-like grace. "Then I'm going after him."

"But Harold, you don't even know where he's going."

"Actually, I think I do."

* * *

(Year: 1960)  
(Place: Egypt)

Three camels pulled up to a large chasm. "There it is," one of the riders, a man in a sharply-dressed suit with a small beard said. "The Valley of the Kings."

"There's only one thing to do now," one of his guides, a bucktooth Egyptian man named Mushara said. "Turn back."

"No one is interested in your opinion," the other Egyptian guide, Ahmet said. "Besides, our guest is anxious to continue. Isn't that right, Dr. Moto?"

The man in the middle of the two guides pushed his hat up revealing his violet eyes and lit up a cigarette. "Anxious is right, the Valley of the Kings, the final resting place of every Pharaoh in Egyptian history."

"But the particular tomb that you seek, nobody has emerged from it and survived."

"A British man did emerge from it," Ahmet pointed out. "He only lasted long enough to mutter these words: the Shadow Game."

"Shadow Game, eh?" Dr. Moto asked. "Perfect."

"It's only fair to warn you, Doctor," Ahmet said. "The tomb is laced with traps, built by the Pharaohs to protect their great treasures. Remember, we're just guides, we can only lead you up to the entrance. Once we get inside, it is you who must lead us. Your knowledge in ancient Egyptian lore that will lead you to the treasure you seek."

"You're mistaken," Dr. Moto said. "I'm not interested in any riches, what I seek is much greater."

"I'm not sure I follow."

"I don't expect you to. Come on, its late and I'm hungry."

The three set up camp by a cliff. As midnight rolled around, Dr. Moto said, "What better time to enter the tomb then the stroke of midnight? Let's go."

"You mean now?" Mushara asked.

"Is that a problem?"

Ahmet and Mushara picked up torches from the campfire they made. "No," Mushara said. "But I do have a question for you: what is it that you are looking for? You say you came to the tomb to find something but you have no desire for treasure?"

"That wasn't what I said. I said I wasn't interested in becoming rich, but that doesn't mean I'm not interested in uncovering a hidden treasure." He smiled through his cigarette. "I like to play games and I believe that tomb contains the secret to the greatest game ever played."

"Dr. Moto, I don't know what lies in that cavern," Ahmet said. "But I'm sure it's no game. Now let's go and I expect you to start taking this expedition a bit more seriously. If you're not careful, you could end up in a tomb yourself."

"I've traveled around the world playing all kinds of games," Dr. Moto said. "And so far I've never suffered a defeat. The day I do is the day I give up the ghost for good."

The three ventured to a tunnel that was set at a 40 degree slant. "The Tomb of the Nameless Pharaoh," Ahmet said. "According to ancient legend, this is the tomb of a Pharaoh but his identity was never given."

"Was the name erased by tomb robbers?" Mushara asked.

"No," Dr. Moto said. "In Egyptian mythology, the name was the key to the afterlife. That was why names were often written on the sarcophagus of whoever was buried in the tomb. But nowhere on the outer chambers was the identity of the Pharaoh ever mentioned which means that somebody did not want the Pharaoh who resided in here to pass on."

The first chamber they came to was littered with bones and skulls. "What is this?" Ahmet asked, not believing what he was seeing.

"I thought nobody entered this tomb," Mushara added.

"Not for three thousand years."

"Ahmet, look!" Mushara pointed to two giant snake statues, each with jewels for eyes.

"I bet you never saw snake eyes like those in your games, eh, Dr. Moto?"

Mushara started to walk forward but Dr. Moto held out his arm blocking his way. "Hold it."

"Hands off," Mushara said. "Those jewels belong to us."

Dr. Moto just removed his cigarette and threw it into the center. Two sharp needles came out of the snakes' mouths and sliced the cigarette in three. "It seems like the game has already begun."

The next chamber they came to had a giant statue that had the body of a man and the head of a bird. "This chamber leads nowhere," Ahmet said.

"He's right, it's a dead end," Mushara agreed.

Ignoring the protests of the two Egyptians, Dr. Moto just went up to a frame with a stand. He looked down and realized that the stand was actually a trough with some liquid in it. He dipped his finger and sniffed it. "Lamp oil." He lit the trough with his torch. Immediately hieroglyphs appeared. Dr. Moto read them out loud, "This is the tomb of the Great Pharaoh. Only those who show respect may enter, all others shall be swallowed by the darkness."

"And they expect us to believe that?" Ahmet asked.

"Look, all I know is that we're standing at the entrance to the Pharaoh's tomb."

"But I don't see any entrance, do you?" Mushara asked.

Suddenly the ground underneath them started to move. The three men leapt off to find that they have been standing on a trap door. A trap door which revealed a stairway.

"I knew it," Dr. Moto said. He looked up at the statue. "Boys, meet Horus, Egyptian God and son to Isis and Osiris. It was widely believed that all Pharaohs were given divine powers from Horus."

Down the staircase, the men came to a new chamber. Various walkways led over a deep pit. Sword-wielding statues were stationed at various intervals.

"It doesn't look particularly hard," Ahmet said. "Any child could solve this puzzle."

"Don't be so sure," Dr. Moto said gesturing to the corpses on their side of the passageway. "These guys apparently weren't able to solve it." He kicked one of the skeleton's sword-equipped arms into the pit.

There was no sound.

"Looks like we found the darkness the scripture was talking about, now who would like to go first."

"I volunteer you," Ahmet said. "After all, you seem to be the expert here."

"Let's just leave," Mushara whispered to Ahmet. "It's not worth it. Knowing my luck, I'll be swallowed by the darkness just like that sword."

Ahmet gripped the other man by the shirt. "Listen, we've come too far to turn back now." Ahmet gestured to Dr. Moto, "He will clear the maze then we will claim the prize." Mushara still wasn't so sure until Ahmet opened his bag to reveal the handle of a gun. "And this will make sure there is nobody to get in our way."

As Ahmet walked forward, he stepped on a hidden panel. Immediately the door shut behind them and spikes popped out of either wall and began sliding towards them.

"Do something, Dr. Moto," Ahmet pleaded.

Dr. Moto just looked from the maze to the spikes. Apparently the Nameless Pharaoh wanted them to enter the maze.

_Very well, Pharaoh, I accept! _Dr. Moto ran onto the walkway and came face-to-face with one of the sword-wielding statues, a sword-wielding statue whose arm started to move in swinging fashion as it approached him. Dr. Moto barely dodged a swing of the blade. "Told you, there's more to this maze than meets the eye." _If this truly is a game the Pharaoh is playing with us, then there has to be a solution. _Dr. Moto stepped back with his right foot.

The statue stopped.

Dr. Moto stared at the statue curiously and shifted his feet so that the right foot was forward. The statue immediately started up again. "Do something to stop those statues or we'll never make it out of here!" Ahmet pleaded.

Dr. Moto thought back to the statue of Horus in the previous chamber and realized the solution. In Ancient Egypt, the Pharaohs were the earthly vessels of the Egyptian Gods. Therefore, the subjects that they governed had to treat them as gods, meaning showing them respect. All statues in the Pharaoh's tomb were carved with the left foot forward. Because the heart was on the left side of the body, it was like the people were pledging their hearts to the Pharaohs, their gods. Dr. Moto placed his left foot forward and the statue stopped again. "I have a solution," he called to the two Egyptians. "We must walk with our left foots forward. As the sign says, we must show respect to the Pharaoh."

"Are you sure?"

"And what if your theory is wrong?"

"Just do it!" Dr. Moto began shuffling along the pathways, always keeping his left foot forward. Finally, he arrived at the other end. Finally letting go of the breath he had been holding, he turned back to look at the two guides. Ahmet was a little further along then Mushara.

"This isn't too hard," Mushara said and then he looked up to see the statue's glowing red eyes staring down at him. He screamed and stepped back with his left foot. Immediately the statue swung and Mushara fell into the darkness.

"Mushara!" Dumbstruck, Ahmet finished the maze.

"I'm sorry," Dr. Moto said. "But those are the rules of the Shadow Games."

Ahmet immediately trained his gun on Dr. Moto. "You'll pay for that! Now go!"

The two continued down another hallway and came to some more scriptures. "Ye shall now be judged by the creatures of stone," Dr. Moto read. "Only the pure of heart are permitted to past. All others will lose to the darkness."

"Why should I believe this gibberish?" Ahmet asked.

"What other choice do you have?" The two walked through the doorway surrounding the scripture. In the room was a single stone bridge, the bridge had animal creatures carved on them. At the other end up on a pedestal was a gold box about the size of a jewelry box. "Strange, no sarcophagus, if this tomb wasn't designed to hold the Pharaoh's body, what was it designed for?"

"The Pharaoh's Treasure!" Ahmet jabbed his gun into Dr. Moto's back. "Go and get it."

"One mustn't be too hasty," Dr. .Moto said. "After all, we're dealing with a powerful force here."

"No excuses, just go!" As Dr. Moto started to walk across the bridge, Ahmet thought _when I am sure there are no traps, I will have no need for him._

Dr. Moto had a feeling he knew what his guide planned but that was secondary. Since he entered the chamber, he felt like someone else was watching them. But whether it was human or otherwise, he couldn't say.

Suddenly a shot rang out. Dr. Moto clutched his left shoulder in pain as blood appeared. He lost his footing and fell over the side, barely able to grab the ledge. He looked up to see Ahmet's sinister smirking face. "Thanks for doing all the work, Dr. Moto, I'll take it from here."

"You snake."

"If you'll excuse me, I have a prize to claim." And he started to walk across the bridge. As he eyed the box, he said, "I'll never want for anything ever again." Suddenly the walkway started to tremble. Ahmet looked down in confusion at the stone etching of a creature. _All this talk of creatures and Shadow Games is nonsense. _He stomped on the creature's edifice in anger. Suddenly smoke started to emit from the stone. Ahmet watched in horror as the demon creature suddenly came to life, grabbed him in its claw, and swallowed him whole before descending back into the stone.

Dr. Moto couldn't hold on for too much longer. "I guess… this is the end." A light shone above him. Dr. Moto could just barely make out a form standing over him. He looked kind of like himself but much younger. But his clothes… his clothes were those of an Egyptian Pharaoh! The Pharaoh reached down saying, "I've been waiting for you," he said just before Dr. Moto blacked out.

When Dr. Moto awoke, he was laying on the bridge. The carvings had all vanished. Still nursing his wounded shoulder, Dr. Moto finished his trek across the bridge. He slumped against the pedestal. "Looks like I win," he said to nobody in particular. Turning to his right, Dr. Moto saw a bullet lodged in the wall and concluded that the bullet Ahmet shot him with went right through his shoulder which meant the wound wasn't as bad as originally thought. When Dr. Moto looked at the top, he noticed that a section of the top rotated in the circle. Digging in, he pulled out a strange gold-colored circle. "A bracelet? No, it's too thick… it' looks more like an Armlet." There were more scripture on the Armletwhich Solomon read. "By the grace of Osiris, who loved his sister-bride, let two souls torn apart, be joined through love and light. Ah, the most romantic words in the Egyptian language." It was an old Egyptian prayer for star-crossed lovers. The prayer was said to be the most romantic prayer ever conceived.

Suddenly the Armlet started to glow. Solomon was temporarily blinded and when his vision cleared again, he was back outside the tomb. The Armlet had vanished but the box was still in his hands, most likely his prize for completing the Pharaoh's challenge.

Dr. Moto looked down on the box that was glowing. He picked it up. "I too swear by the grace of Osiris that I will keep you safe until you are joined together with that Armlet."

* * *

"And I kept that pledge ever since," Solomon Moto finished.

"Wow, Grandpa," Yugi said. "Did you really do all that?"

"More or less," Solomon shrugged. Then he diverted the subject, "It was thanks to that that I was able to escape with a wounded shoulder and a box containing strange pieces, pieces I couldn't put together. But I still vowed to protect it. So tell me, does this interest in my old adventures have anything to do with yours and Harold's trip tomorrow?"

"Of course," Yugi replied. "Before we head out for Egypt tomorrow, I want to learn all there is to know about that place. Grandpa… I don't suppose you would happen to remember where that tomb was, would you?"

"Can't say that I do, that's why I hired those two guys in the first place. The Valley of the Kings is bigger than you think and a lot of those caves look exactly the same."

Yugi sighed disappointed, "Oh well, I just really wanted to see where you found the Millennium Puzzle."

"Not a chance!" Solomon snapped. "I was barely able to escape that place with my life and I was one of the few lucky ones. I feel that this is why the Pharaoh saved my life, so I could deliver the Millennium Puzzle to the one who was destined to solve it: you, Yugi. You're the one destined to help the Pharaoh gain everything that he lost." He placed both of his arms on both of Yugi's shoulders. "He who holds the Millennium Puzzle holds the legacy of the Pharaoh and that's no small task."

"I know."

"Always remember this: treat every challenge like it's a game. Use your instincts and you will come out on top."

"Playing games is what I do best."

"Good. My adventure's done, but yours has just begun."

The End

* * *

A/N: Okay, let me explain some things: first of all, yes, the prayer is what is written on the Armlet. But in case you're wondering about the specifics, Osiris and Isis, in addition to being husband and wife, were also brother and sister. Now to us westerners, that might seem gross but when you think about it, it makes sense to the Egyptians. The gods' blood was divine and said to hold incredible powers but only if it was kept pure. The best way to maintain the gods' lineage and power is to have those with the same blood mingle. Of course, it might also explain why Horus ended up with the head of a bird, huh? ^__^


	2. Penultimate Prelude

Yu-Gi-Oh! Avatar  
Secrets of the Pharaoh

Fanfic Chapter 284: Penultimate Prelude  
Episode Basis: Tomb of the Nameless Pharaoh, Spiritual Awakening.

* * *

Thunder started to rumble across the sky, the rain poured, and two figures crept up to the roof of The Game Shop.

* * *

In Yugi's dream, he was sitting on the roof of an empty school. Yami was standing near him. "Is everything all right, Yugi?"

"I was just thinking."

"About something your Grandpa said?"

Yugi nodded, "He said that I was the one destined to help you but ever since I first put the puzzle together and we first bonded, it seems like you've been helping me more than I've been helping you. I mean before you came into my life, I felt utterly alone. I barely talked to anyone. But the moment I put the puzzle together, everything changed. You gave me a confidence I didn't know I had. And it was thanks to that confidence that I was able to make lots of new friends: Joey, Tristan, Harold, Bakura, Amara, the Kaibas, Mai and Kevin, Duke, Katy, Todd, Leon. I wouldn't be the Duelist… no, I wouldn't be the person I am today if it were not for you."

"Thank you, Yugi, but you're selling yourself short. I was alone for three thousand years until we met. Then, your friends became my friends." Yami stared out at the cityscape. "And I don't believe you were ever truly alone, you had a friend before you even knew it. Besides, you're about to do something for me that I could never do by myself: recover my memory and unlock the secrets of my past."

* * *

"This is it, Rex," Weevil Underwood said as he held a rock. "The God Cards will finally be in worthy hands."

"Ah-ha," Rex Raptor said. "So you admit that they do belong to me."

"Dream on." Weevil raised a rock and smashed it against the bedroom window.

* * *

Harold, still in his Avatar disguise, leapt from rooftop to rooftop. After dropping Serenity off at Joey's, he began searching for her assaulter. Hearing the sound of glass shattering, he looked up. "Oh no, am I too late?"

* * *

Yugi was woken by the sound of glass shattering. He looked up to see a hand grabbing his duffle bag. "Hey, stop!"

"Oh no, he's awake," Rex said.

"Run for it, Rex!" The two quickly slid down the ladder and took off.

Still in his pajamas, Yugi ran out after them. _If that bag falls into the wrong hands, the whole world could be in danger!_

Weevil and Rex ran and ran until they arrived in an alleyway. "That was a trip," Rex said gasping for breath.

"I have to get a look at these babies," Weevil said taking the duffle bag and opening it. "Hey wait, these aren't God Cards!" Inside were the Millennium Rod, the Millennium Necklace, and the Millennium Ring which promptly started to glow. It flew off and into someone's hands. This someone started laughing darkly.

"Who's there?" Rex asked.

"It hasn't been that long, has it?" A bolt of lightning illuminated Bakura's face.

"Hey I know you, don't you usually pal around with Yugi?" Weevil matched.

"Listen, you better not be after those God Cards," Rex warned.

"I already have what I'm after, and as for you fools, time to teach you a lesson about taking what does not belong to you." The Millennium Ring started to light up again.

Yugi heard a pair of voices cry out. He ran to the alleyway to discover Rex and Weevil prone on the ground. "Who are you? What did you do to them?"

"Don't tell me you don't recognize me too, Yugi, after everything we been through." He turned around.

"Bakura?"

"Not quite," Yami-Bakura said.

"Wh… what did you do to them?" Yugi stammered a question.

"It's their own fault for trying to take something that didn't belong to them. I simply gave them a punishment that fit the crime." He turned Rex over with his foot. Yugi gasped in horror. "You should show a little gratitude, Yugi, after all I did return your belongings." He threw the duffle bag to Yugi. "Well… most of them." He held up the Millennium Ring, "I just can't quite bare to part with this just yet."

"Give that back! The Millennium Items belong together."

"Eventually, they will be," Yami-Bakura said. "Though we may not be fond of each other, we both share the same goal, to see the Millennium Items returned to the Millennium Stone of Kul Elna."

_Millennium Stone? Kul Elna? _Yugi questioned. This was the first time he heard of such a thing. His Grandfather did not mention seeing any stone in his story nor did Odion or Marik mention anything of the sort. "I don't believe you!"

"Believe whatever you want, but I know things that your Pharaoh-friend seems to have forgotten."

"What do you mean?"

"Try to wrap your head around this: the Millennium Stone is actually a key to unlocking the door to the afterlife."

"The afterlife… so if the Pharaoh is separated from the Millennium Puzzle, he'll end up there?"

"You're catching on. I'm sure you want to help your spirit friend cross through, it is after all where we both rightfully belong."

The Millennium Puzzle flashed and Yami emerged. "All right, enough beating around the bush, tell me what you're really after."

"Ah, Pharaoh, to what do I owe the honor of your visit?"

"Answer me! What are you planning to do?"

"I don't see why you hold such animosity towards me, after all we're more alike than either of us would care to admit."

"We're nothing alike," Yami spat.

"We're both three thousand year old spirits inhabiting the bodies of children. But the one difference is that while I remember my past, yours is nothing but a labyrinth of questions. Your whole life has been nothing but a puzzle wrapped in a game. But I have a solution, a quite ironic one: the only way to solve one game is through another game."

Harold swan-dived off a building and landed right behind Yami-Bakura. "I found you, Bakura, now you'll pay for what you did to Serenity."

"Harold!"

Yami-Bakura smirked, "Looks like most of the major players for this game are here."

"What game?" Yami asked.

"The ultimate Shadow Game, one where I will benefit no matter the outcome."

Yami sighed, "Fine, I'll accept your game."

"Don't you remember anything? You're the one who started it in the first place! I could tell you the details, but as your lighter side so aptly put it, he doesn't trust me and I'm sure neither do you. So telling you would be a waste of both our time. But for now, I'll just leave you two guessing." He turned and started to walk away.

"I'm not letting you leave with Bakura's body," Harold said setting up a shield around Yami-Bakura.

"You think I like inhabiting the vessel of such a whelp? I'll release him when I'm good and ready."

Harold growled and was ready to use his Armlet to knock Yami-Bakura around the block a few times when Yami spoke up, "Harold, he's not worth it." Harold sighed and deactivated his shield. Yami-Bakura just walked away.

"What was that all about?" Harold asked.

"I don't know," Yami replied. "He stops Weevil and Rex from stealing the God Cards and the Items, then he takes back the Millennium Ring, now he's saying something about the ultimate Shadow Game." Yami looked down at the Millennium Puzzle. "Things are coming to a head. Bakura says he will benefit no matter the outcome, but I have a feeling we don't have such an advantage. We better be ready for anything, Harold."

Harold nodded, then lifted Rex and Weevil over his shoulders. "Well I'm going to drop these dead weights at the hospital. Will you be okay, Yugi?"

Yami nodded. "I hope so."

* * *

The storm had stopped. But even through the high winds and thunder, Seto Kaiba didn't hear it. He'd been pulling another all-nighter at Kaiba Corp. again. As he was typing on his computer, the lights and monitor suddenly went off. "Great, power outage," he grumbled. Suddenly his monitor clicked on again. This time, Yami-Bakura was on the screen.

"It's been a while, hasn't it, Kaiba?"

"Can I help you?" Kaiba asked coldly. Yami-Bakura just held up Mokuba. "Mokuba!"

Yami-Bakura unceremoniously threw Mokuba off-screen. "I thought that would get your attention. I challenge you to a Shadow Game, Kaiba, meet me up on the roof." And the monitor went dark again.

"If that dork wants a challenge, I'll give him one he'll never forget!" Kaiba reached into his desk drawer and pulled out his briefcase. He changed into his duel attire and rode the elevator up to the roof. As soon as he exited onto the roof, Mokuba was dropped into his arms. "Mokuba!"

"Don't worry, he's just passed out, how long he remains that way is up to you. Now let's get this Shadow Game under way."

"Not this nonsense again," Kaiba grumbled. Suddenly something occurred to him. _Wait a minute, Bakura acted this crazy once before… _He thought back. _That's right, during Battle City. He tried to get Yugi's Egyptian God Card and he got it but not in the way he expected. For all this, Mokuba was… _"You better not think about leaving!" Kaiba activated his Duel Disk.

"Wouldn't dream of it." Bakura did the same.

"Let's duel!"

(K: 4000)  
(B: 4000)

"Now for the fun part," Bakura said as purple mist started filling around them.

"What… what's going on?"

"I'd tell you but you don't believe in the Shadow Realm, or magic, or ancient visions, or destiny. I wouldn't be surprised if you don't believe in Santa Claus either."

"When are you people going to realize that I focus on the future, not the past. If you want someone to dump your Egyptian garbage on, go find Yugi."

"I already have. In fact, his fate partly depends on how this duel is concluded, if it is."

_What has he gotten himself into this time? _Kaiba wondered.

"Let the game commence,' Yami-Bakura said. "It's my move." He drew a card. "And I'll start with the magic card Polymerization, fusing my Earl of Demise (1) with my Headless Knight (2) to form Duke of Demise (3)! But the rules forbid me to attack you since it's only the first turn so you get a reprise for now."

"It'll take more than a rotting carcass with a sword to intimidate me," Kaiba said drawing a card. "Watch and see how it's done. I summon Vorse Raider (4)." A dark-skinned beast warrior holding a long bladed weapon appeared.

"Sorry, but it seems like your monster is a few points short of my own."

"I'm not done yet, I also activate the magic card Shrink which cuts your corpse's attack points in half." Yami-Bakura's monster shrank.

(DD: 2000-1000)

"Vorse Raider, attack now!" Vorse Raider cut through Duke of Demise and even though Yami-Bakura still lost 900 life points, his monster's special ability kept it from being destroyed.

(K: 4000)  
(B: 3100)

Yami-Bakura laughed.

"I wouldn't be laughing if I were you."

"And why is that?" Yami-Bakura asked as he drew a card.

"Well for one, you're about to lose 500 life points thanks to Duke of Demise. Is that reason enough for you?"

"No," Yami-Bakura replied as his life points went down.

(K: 4000)  
(B: 2600)

"Because I have something much worse in store for you," Yami-Bakura said. "I sacrifice my Duke to bring out my Diabound Colonel (5)!" A winged demon with a snake for legs appeared. "And next I activate the magic card Spirit Illusion! It creates what a token, or to be more precise, a doppelganger complete with all the powers of the original. Doppelganger Diabound, attack!" The duplicate Diabound Colonel wrapped itself around Vorse Raider covering it in black smoke. "Did I forget to mention my doppelganger's special ability? Whenever he strikes, your monster loses attack points equal to my original Diabound's attack points."

(VR: 1900-100)

Vorse Raider was panting heavily. "That leaves your Vorse Raider in a rather compromising position. Now, Diabound Colonel, attack!" Diabound gathered energy into its hands and fired it directly at Vorse Raider.

(K: 2300)  
(B: 2600)

"Next I place this face-down, that ends my turn."

"No more Mr. Nice Guy," Kaiba said starting his turn. "I summon my Lord of Dragons (6) in attack mode!" A man wearing dragon-scale armor appeared.

"It's just as I planned," Yami-Bakura said with a smile.

"As long as my Lord of Dragons is in play," Kaiba was explaining. "Any dragon I play is immune to all magic and trap cards. Next I play the Flute of Summoning Dragon!" The Lord of Dragons blew on the horn. "When these two cards are in play, I can summon any two dragons in my hand. Actually, now that I think about it, there's really only one dragon I need: my Blue-Eyes White Dragon (7)!"

_That's just the card I hoped you would play, _Yami-Bakura thought. _I think it's time to take a little stroll down memory lane._

Something flashed in Kaiba's mind's eye" a deserted street flanked by buildings made of mud and brick. A man in fine white robes with blue shoulder plate and headdress cradled a white-haired woman in front of a stone tablet depicting the Blue-Eyes White Dragon.

Kaiba's consciousness returned to the present. "Oh no, it's that vision again!" _My mind's playing tricks on me, just like when I dueled Yugi at Battle City! Well I'm not falling for that nonsense again. What happened in the past has nothing to do with me!_

"Kaiba, something wrong?" Yami-Bakura asked like he didn't know what Kaiba just saw. "Are you feeling all right?"

Kaiba cast a side glance at the prone Mokuba, "I've never felt better. Blue-Eyes, destroy his Diabound! White Lightning!"

"I activate my trap card Spirit Shield!" The white dragon's attack was deflected off a shield.

"It can't be!"

"Thanks to my shield, your attack didn't get anywhere near my Diabound and all I had to do was remove one monster in my graveyard from play. So long as I keep a steady supply of creatures in my graveyard, any attack you make is useless!"

"Maybe for now, but that won't last. I place one card face-down and end my turn."

Bakura started out his turn by playing Pot of Greed allowing him to draw two more cards. "And one of them is the magic card Grief Tablet." A stone slab appeared behind Lord of Dragons and absorbed the monster into it.

"What did you do to my monster?"

"Your Lord of Dragons along with all of its powers have been sealed away in that stone tablet and it will remain that way unless it's destroyed. But if it does get destroyed, you lose 500 life points. Now, my Diabound, weaken his dragon!" The doppelganger covered the dragon in black smoke. The dragon cried out in pain.

(BEWD: 3000-1200)

"Now, my Diabound, attack!" Diabound gathered energy into its hands again and fired it.

"I activate Attack Guidance Armor!" Kaiba's trap card produced armor plating shaped like a demon's face which floated in front of the Lord of Dragon's tablet. The energy blast banked from the Blue-Eyes to the tablet destroying it.

(K: 1200)  
(B: 2600)

Annoyed, Yami-Bakura set two cards face-down. "I guess Kumara was wrong, you're not as heartless as even you might think, Kaiba."

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

"Just take your turn."

"It's time to turn this duel around," Kaiba announced. "With this, Card of Demise! This magic card lets me draw until I'm holding five cards but in five turns they get sent to the graveyard."

"Have you forgotten my Spirit Shield? As long as it's on the field, nothing you draw can affect me."

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to disagree with you, I play Soul Release. You've heard of it, right? With it, I can remove up to five cards from the graveyard." Earl of Demise and Duke of Demise left the graveyard. "Now, without your monsters to fuel it, your Spirit Shield is destroyed!" Yami-Bakura scowled as his card disintegrated. "Next I'll use Silent Doom to bring back Vorse Raider to the field in defense mode. Now I'll sacrifice my Vorse Raider and my Blue-Eyes." _It's the only way to get my dragon's strength back, _Kaiba thought as his two monsters disappeared. "Blue-Eyes White Dragon, arise!" Another Blue-Eyes appeared.

"So what's your point? The mighty Blue-Eyes White Dragon has been reborn and I'm supposed to run in fear?"

"You will when he attacks your little snake boy with White Lightning!" The attack destroyed his Diabound Colonel.

(K: 1200)  
(B: 1400)

"Not bad, but not good enough to beat me! I activate my Mirror Tablet trap card, then I activate Rebirth Tablet!" A stone slab with a picture of Diabound Colonel appeared. It broke apart and Diabound reappeared.

"What?!"

"My Rebirth Tablet was activated as soon as my Diabound was destroyed allowing me to bring him back to the field. But wait, there's more." An image of Blue-Eyes White Dragon appeared in the mirror tablet which also shattered and was absorbed into Diabound. "After you sacrificed your Blue-Eyes White Dragon, my Mirror Tablet was able to absorb half of its attack points which were then donated graciously to my Diabound."

(DC: 1800-3300)

"Now my Diabound is the strongest monster on the field! Diabound, destroy Blue-Eyes now!" The energy blast struck Blue-Eyes White Dragon dead center.

(K: 900)  
(B: 1400)

"Sorry, but no dice," Kaiba said. "I play Monster Reborn! Blue-Eyes is back!" With a roar, the dragon reappeared.

_Oh if only he knew what my Diabound really accomplished, when it destroyed Kaiba's Blue-Eyes, it absorbed its attack power. Mission accomplished._

Then Yami-Bakura noticed the sun rising. "Oh well, looks like you're in luck," he said. "As it turns out, I have more pressing concerns to take care of."

"Hold on, you're leaving in the middle of a duel?"

"Don't worry, I'll return to finish what I started soon enough, in the mean time take this." He threw something to Kaiba. It was a round gold-colored orb with an eye at the center.

"Hold on, didn't this used to belong to Pegasus?"

"Why yes, he once used it to absorb your soul… oh wait, I forgot, you don't believe in souls either."

Kaiba just stared at the object, "The Millennium Eye," he muttered.

"Good memory. Bring that eye to Egypt and I'll tell you a secret."

"I have no time to go half-way around the world chasing some fairy tale."

"But aren't you interested in learning the secret of the Blue-Eyes White Dragon?"

"What secret?"

"Tell me, have you ever stopped and asked yourself why you love your precious Blue-Eyes White Dragon so much? Why the thought of anyone other than you controlling them infuriates you to no end? Do you know why?"

Kaiba cast a side glance at his Blue-Eyes White Dragon, "What kind of a stupid question is that? There are only four Blue-Eyes White Dragons in the world and I have three of them."

"But there are many cards, some much rarer, in the game, you have never heard of the Egyptian God Cards before Battle City. So tell me what makes the Blue-Eyes White Dragons so special?" For once, Kaiba was at a loss for words. It just seemed so natural that he would have the Blue-Eyes White Dragon that he didn't question that there was anything deeper. "The answer lies in the sands of Egypt, Seto." Yami-Bakura burst into malicious laughter. Diabound fired a blast at the ground blinding Kaiba. When Kaiba's vision cleared, both Duelist and monster had vanished. Kaiba growled and stared at the Millennium Eye.

* * *

The morning was sunny and beautiful as Yugi and Harold entered the airport. "According to the tickets Odion gave us, our flight is set to leave at 11:30, that's in 45 minutes."

"Coming here early was a good idea," Yugi said.

"Yugi, Harold!" The two turned to see Joey, Tristan, Amara, and Tea running up to them.

"Hey guys, here to see us off?" Harold asked.

"See you off nothing," Tristan said. "We're coming with you."

"Coming with us?" Harold asked surprised.

"Yeah, we wouldn't miss this for the world," Joey said. "Besides, Amara's paying for the tickets."

"Only because you two conveniently forgot your wallets," Amara said crossing her arms and turning snootily away from Joey and Tristan.

"And we'll pay back every penny," Joey promised.

"Yeah, my check's already in the mail."

"I think what Beavis and Butthead are trying to say here is that we know how important this trip means to you two and we wouldn't miss it," Tea said. Harold noticed that her eyes seemed a little sunken. On the outside, it seemed like old times, but Harold could see that the conflict between Yugi and Tea that first surfaced at Andros Hinxton's mansion was still there.

"Thanks, you guys are the best."

Yami held back, watching the modern day humans talking. _I hope we're ready for this, Yugi, because this is so much more than a trip to my homeland, it's a trip to my ancient past._

The six friends boarded the plane and took off.

The End

* * *

Duel Monster Database

(1)  
Name: The Earl of Demise  
Level: 5  
Type: Fiend  
Attribute: Dark  
ATK: 2000  
DEF: 700

(2)  
Name: Headless Knight  
Level: 4  
Type: Fiend  
Attribute: Earth  
ATK: 1450  
DEF: 1700

(3)  
Name: Duke of Demise  
Level: 6  
Type: Fiend/Fusion/Effect  
Attribute: Dark  
ATK: 2000  
DEF: 1700

(4)  
Name: Vorse Raider  
Level: 4  
Type: Beast-Warrior  
Attribute: Dark  
ATK: 1900  
DEF: 1200

(5)  
Name: Diabound Colonel  
Level: 5  
Type: Fiend/Effect  
Attribute: Dark  
ATK: 1800  
DEF: 1200

(6)  
Name: Lord of Dragons (Lord of D.)  
Level: 4  
Type: Spellcaster/Effect  
Attribute: Dark  
ATK: 1200  
DEF: 1100

(7)  
Name: Blue-Eyes White Dragon  
Level: 8  
Type: Dragon  
Attribute: Light  
ATK: 3000  
DEF: 2500


	3. Secrets of the Pharaoh Pt 1

Yu-Gi-Oh! Avatar  
Secrets of the Pharaoh

Fanfic Chapter 285: Secrets of the Pharaoh Pt 1: The Door of Memories  
Episode Basis: Memoirs of a Pharaoh

Previously on Yu-Gi-Oh! In the middle of the night, Weevil Underwood and Rex Raptor broke into Yugi's house and stole the bag containing the Millennium Items and the Egyptian God Cards. But before they could make a clean getaway, they were stopped… by Yami-Bakura! That's right, once again the spirit of the Millennium Ring had taken control of Yugi's friend. Both Yugi and Yami were suspicious of Yami-Bakura's intentions even though the spirit assured them that he wanted to pass on just as much as the Pharaoh did. Yami-Bakura left after inviting Yami to the ultimate shadow game. But Yami-Bakura wasn't done yet. Next he went to Kaiba Corp. and challenged Seto Kaiba to a Shadow Duel. Kaiba tried to duel his hardest despite Yami-Bakura's yammering about visions and mystical mumbo-jumbo. When the sun started to rise, Yami-Bakura ended the duel and left Kaiba with two things: the Millennium Eye, and a riddle about the secret of the Blue-Eyes White Dragon and Kaiba's strong desire to keep them in his possession. In the day time, Yugi and Harold headed to the airport to leave for Egypt but they weren't going alone. Joey, Tristan, Tea, and Amara were also coming along. Looks like it's another new adventure.

* * *

The plane touched down at Cairo International Airport. Yugi and his friends disembarked. "I just flew all the way to Egypt and boy, are my arms tired," Tristan quipped.

"Spare us, huh," Joey said.

"Egypt seems so different from home," Amara commented.

"I know," Harold agreed. "If it wasn't for the fact that I know we came in here on an airplane, I would've guessed we were transported to another planet, or perhaps another dimension considering everything that's happened to us. I don't see anything familiar." An attractive Egyptian girl walked by them and Harold stared at her a little too long. "Then again, I guess there is some familiarity here." Amara clobbered his head. "Ow, Amara!"

"Idiot, you already have a girlfriend."

"I do?"

Amara grabbed his head and started to squeeze his neck, "Yes, you do!"

"Gyah! Amara, are you trying to give me amnesia again?"

"Trust me, that would only be an improvement."

"All right you two, break it up," Joey said. "Sheesh, how bad is it when I look like the mature one?"

Tea saw something, "Just a second, guys, I'll be right back."

"We haven't even left the airport and she already shopping?" Harold asked.

"Girls," Tristan said rolling his eyes. "They can't resist a sale." Now Amara stepped on his foot.

"Yugi!" Yugi and the others turned and saw the Ishtars: Marik, Ishizu, and Odion.

"It's Marik!"

"Long time, no see, guys!" Joey said.

"Yeah, we definitely have a lot to catch up on," Marik said. "Well where should we start?"

"How about lunch?" Joey asked. "How are the burger joints here?"

"Just as energetic as ever, aren't you, Mister Wheeler?" Odion asked.

"Oh yeah, whenever we go traveling, we have to have a lot of energy," Harold said.

"We've been waiting for you," Ishizu said. Yugi and Yami switched. "My Pharaoh," Ishizu said bowing a little. "Welcome home. We know you've got a long journey ahead of you and we're honored to be your guides."

"Please, the honor is mine."

* * *

The group left the airport and climbed into a van with Egyptian Bureau of Antiquities emblem on it and took off into the desert. While the others marveled at the pyramids and Sphinx, Harold discussed something with Ishizu. "So the tablets at the museum were a fake?"

"Correct," Ishizu confirmed. "The real tablets were too delicate to be moved from their place so we had a sculptor recreate them on a smaller scale."

"So that explains why nothing happened when we held up the God Cards at the museum," Harold said. "But wait, isn't it dangerous to recreate them, I mean after what happened with Pegasus and his expedition team?"

"It's dangerous to recreate images of the gods yes," Ishizu agreed. "But as for the tablets, there was very little danger."

"Those crazy ancients," Harold said. "Always fail to notice the fine details." He then saw Yami and quickly said, "Uh… present company excepted, of course."

Eventually, they arrived at a domed building made of mud and brick. "Beyond this doorway lies the Tablet of Ancient Memories," Ishizu announced.

_All the secrets of my past are about to be revealed, _Yami thought.

"You must continue without us," Ishizu told them.

"As Tombkeepers, we can only guard the entryway, not enter it," Marik explained.

"But it'll be okay once you enter, our job as Tombkeepers will be over," Ishizu added.

"Just hold your Egyptian God Cards up to the stone tablet," Marik instructed. "And your memories will be revealed."

"From here on, you must forge your own path, my Pharaoh."

"I understand. Thank you, all of you," Yami said. He entered followed by Harold, Tea, Joey, Amara, and Tristan.

"I guess our job as Tombkeepers is finally complete," Marik said. "Our ancestors have been waiting thousands of years for this moment."

"Yes," Ishizu agreed. "There is a place where all souls will eventually go to rest, and the Pharaoh has just started taking his journey to his resting place."

* * *

Yami-Bakura watched as the Ishtars left the scene. He smiled.

* * *

Inside was a long flight of steps that led down. "You'd think they spruced this place up a little," Tristan said.

"Hey, for a 3000 year old sanctuary, it could be worse," Tea said.

"At least we don't have to deal with any booby traps," Harold said.

"Nope, though we do have a couple of boobs here," Amara said pointing to Joey and Tristan.

"Hey!"

They came into a chamber, lit only by a spotlight. It illuminated two stone tablets, the tablets on display at the museum. "There it is," Yami said. "The Tablet of Lost Memories."

Tea stared at Yami-Yugi's back. _I just realized something, I've been calling him Yugi, but right now, that isn't Yugi, he's been going by Yugi's name, but he isn't Yugi. He's a spirit whose memory goes back only a few years. He doesn't even remember his name… oh wait, that reminds me. _"Pharaoh, here, I want you to have this." She held out a necklace with an vertical oblong oval on it.

"What is it?" Yami asked.

"It's a cartouche," Tea said. "The guy at the souvenir stand in the airport said Pharaohs used to carve their names onto them."

"But it's blank," Amara pointed out.

"That's the point, when you regain your name you can carve it onto the cartouche and that way you won't forget again."

"I don't know what to say, I'll never take it off." He placed it around his neck. "Thank you, Tea." He took out the Egyptian God Cards and turned to the stone tablet.

* * *

Deep inside the Millennium Puzzle, the piece of Yami-Bakura that was infused waited for the Shadow Game to start.

* * *

"Well, I guess it's time," Harold said.

"Good for it, Yug," Joey said. "Remember, no matter what, we're right behind you."

"Yeah, I'd prefer to be about thirty feet behind him, you know, just in case any more magical stuff happens."

"The point of friendship is to stick by them no matter what, Amara," Harold explained.

Amara looked down, "Harold, I… I don't know if I should be here, I mean… I haven't done much as a friend yet."

"That's why you should stick by your friends no matter what, Amara," Harold said. "Just by being with them, you are doing plenty as a friend." Amara nodded.

Yami held up the Egyptian God Cards so that the images were facing the stone tablet. The image of the Millennium Puzzle towards the top of the tablet started to glow brightly. Yugi's Millennium Puzzle also started to glow. Yami's spirit was torn from Yugi and pulled into the stone tablet. The Pharaoh found himself in a tunnel. _Where are the Egyptian Gods taking me_?

* * *

The piece of Yami-Bakura in the Millennium Puzzle emerged unnoticed by Yami.

* * *

The Millennium Ring also started to glow. The rest of Yami-Bakura exited from Bakura's body leaving the body collapsed on the floor. The beam of light that was Yami-Bakura also entered the stone tablet where it joined the piece that was inside the Millennium Puzzle again. Now complete, Yami-Bakura said, "Looks like my plan worked." He laughed as he and Yami continued falling through the tunnel.

The light started to die down. "I take it that was supposed to happen?" Tristan asked.

"I'll tell you just as soon as my vision clears," Harold said rubbing his eyes.

Amara saw Yugi down on his hands and knees. "Yugi, are you all right?" She asked.

"No," Yugi said more to himself than to Amara. "He's gone! The Pharaoh is gone!"

"Say what?!" Joey cried. The others looked just as shocked.

"The boy is right," a new voice said. "The Pharaoh is now in the world of his memories." An Egyptian man in white cloak and turban with a strange ankh-like object around his neck stepped out of the shadows.

Amara was startled, "I don't remember seeing him there before."

"Hey I know you," Tristan said. "You were that guy in the bathrobe from Battle City!"

"From Battle City?" Joey and Amara asked.

"Yeah, he saved me and Duke from falling off the blimp."

"But how do we know we can trust him?" Joey asked.

"It's all right," Yugi said. "Shadi is the guardian of the Millennium Items."

The other kids all gasped.

* * *

Yami exited the tunnel into the sky. Down below he saw buildings of mud and stone. The roads were made of stone and sand. Yami transformed into a beam of light and landed at a palace.

When he opened his eyes, he found himself on a balcony overlooking a city. Down below were hundreds, perhaps even thousands of people, all cheering and chanting his name.

_Where am I? _Yami thought. He then noticed his attire. He still wore the Millennium Puzzle, he was dressed in a white shirt and skirt. On his legs were sandals and gold shin guards. Gold bands decorated his arms including one with a strange and somewhat familiar-attachment. He also wore gold rings and a crown with the Millennium emblem on it. A purple cape and mantle adorned his back. He stared at his new clothes in shock.

"Your public awaits, my King." A short man wearing a veil and top hat with an Egyptian decoration walked up to him. His voice sounded familiar but Yami was still too disoriented to place it. "The citizens are quite anxious to pay respects to their new Pharaoh."

"Did you say… new Pharaoh?"

The people were still chanting Pharaoh so Yami raised a hand in greeting. Immediately the people prostrated themselves on the ground. Yami was surprised to say the least.

"We've prepared a lovely celebration in your honor, my King," the veiled man said. "Shall we retire inside?"

"Um… sure."

The sound of gongs preceded Yami's entrance into the throne room. It was huge with columns and balconies. More servants prostrated themselves on either side. At the other end was a throne with a high back. As Yami proceeded to the throne, he wondered if he traveled back in time, or if this truly was the world of his memories.

Yami and the veiled man, whom Yami assumed was some type of aid or advisor. "All hail the new Pharaoh," the veiled man declared. "Exalted ruler of Egypt!"

As the six people on the platform with the throne raised their heads, Yami was further shocked by the rather familiar faces. "Kaiba? Ishizu?" The man removed his veil and Yami saw that he looked familiar too, "Grandpa?"

"I beg your pardon," the veiled man said. "I am nobody's Grandpa… at least not yet… but that's beside the point."

"My Pharaoh," the Kaiba look-a-like addressed. "Perhaps we should postpone the festivities, you seem rather distant today."

Yami had recovered from his shock and knew that he had to keep these people, whether they be real or not, from finding out about his true circumstances. "No, that will not be necessary, please carry on.'

"Very well." The Kaiba look-a-like raised both arms to the servants. "Let the celebration welcoming the new Pharaoh to the throne of Egypt commences!' Drums accompanied six dancing girls as everyone in the room feasted and conversed.

Yami noticed that the six people around him each held a Millennium Item. "Each of them holds a Millennium Item?" He wondered out loud.

"Have you forgotten?" The Grandpa look-a-like whispered to him. "These are the six members of your court, chosen by the Millennium Items themselves, each one destined to wield its power in the name of the Pharaoh."

* * *

Two men on horses headed towards the city, dragging a shirtless dark-skinned man with white hair and a scar on his cheek across the desert. The man fell to the ground.

"Hold on," one of the men said. "It seems our 'friend' collapsed again."

"Just my luck," the other man said. "There's a grand celebration at the palace today and I'm stuck dragging a petty thief to the dungeon."

Suddenly a flash of light came down from the sky and struck the man. The force of the shockwave caused the horses to fall over.

Yami-Bakura got up, "It worked," he said happily. He then noticed the shackles. "Although I think my timing could've been a little bit better." He turned around as six men in dark cloaks showed up. One of the men dismounted and drew his sword. He swung, slicing off Yami-Bakura's shackles.

"You are free, my Lord," the man said dropping to one knee.

"I see that, now if memory serves me, there's work to be done. It's been a long time but I remember this day quite clearly, it's the day the Great Pharaoh inherited the throne of Egypt. Looks like he and I have some catching up to do."

* * *

As the celebration continued, Yami kept casting glances at everyone in the room who looked like someone he already knew, trying to analyze what was happening while at the same time keeping a neutral face so as not to raise any suspicions. Two of the six court members looked like Kaiba and Ishizu. And that vizier looked hauntingly like his… no, Yugi's Grandpa. _Has my experiences in the twenty-first century have somehow affected my memories of the past or did all these people really exist? _He glanced at Kaiba. _Take that Kaiba look-a-like for instance, he always seemed to have a connection with ancient Egypt. And the fact that his image was engraved on the stone tablet can hardly be a coincidence._

The Millennium Necklace around the Ishizu look-a-like's neck started to glow. She turned and saw a man hiding behind the pillar with a blow dart gun. "Mahad!" She cried a warning. The Millennium Ring holder held up his cape and blocked the dart.

The Kaiba look-a-like turned to a guard, "Captain Ansif, seize that intruder this instance."

"I will get on it," the Captain said. Immediately two guards seized the attacker and dragged him before the Pharaoh and the priests.

"Assaulting the King of Egypt is an inexcusable crime," the Ishizu look-a-like scolded.

"We should kill this man immediately and set him as an example," the one called Mahad suggested.

"Wait," the Kaiba look-a-like said. "I have a better idea, we can use this scoundrel to demonstrate to the Pharaoh the full extent of our power." He turned to the Millennium Eye wielder and the Grandpa look-a-like. "Don't you agree, Master Aknaden, Master Shimon?"

The Millennium Eye holder nodded. "So shall it be written, so shall it be so," the Grandpa look-a-like agreed.

"Let the Millennium Trial of this man's soul commence!" The Kaiba look-a-like commanded.

"A Millennium Trial?" Yami questioned.

"Yes, my King," the vizier said. "With a position of great power, there often comes great danger. And criminals who threaten the ruler of Egypt must be dealt accordingly.

"But you need not be alarmed, Pharaoh," the Ishizu look-a-like assured him.

"We, the members of your sacred court stand ready at all times to ensure your safety," the Millennium Eye holder added.

"You shall now be judged by the magic of the seven Millennium Items," the Kaiba look-a-like announced to the prisoner as he raised the Millennium Rod. Yami wondered what he was planning on doing with it. He remembered how Marik used it to control Joey and Tea during Battle City. One thing's for certain, it wouldn't be pleasant. "Shada will start."

The holder of the Millennium Key removed his hood and Yami noticed that he looked awfully like Shadi, another effect of his experiences in modern times? Doubtful, considering Shadi knew an awful lot about both the Millennium Items and the Egyptian God Cards. Even the name was a dead give away at the connection. "With the power of my Millennium Key, I shall read this man's mind!" The Millennium Key started to glow. Shada was aghast, "The shadow of a creature lurks within this man's heart," he announced!

Shada stepped aside and the Millennium Eye holder took his place. "I shall now invoke the energies of the Millennium Eye, removing and extracting the creature that dwells within." Immediately the man started to glow. Dark smoke billowed from his mouth.

"What's happening to him?" Yami asked.

"The Millennium Items detect a shadow creature dwelling within this criminal," the vizier explained. "Little is known about these beings of darkness, only that they feed off of the anger and hatred of humans. Once a Shadow Creature is born, it forces its host to commit unspeakable acts of evil creating more darkness to feed upon." A dark skeletal creature with multiple hands appeared. "So the members of the court use the Millennium Items to seal the creatures within stone tablets." Two guards behind the Kaiba look-a-like raised a stone tablet about the size of a person to face the criminal.

"Master Seto," the Millennium Eye holder called. "Use the power of your Millennium Rod and seal the fate of this shadow beast!"

"Right," Seto replied as the Millennium Eye holder stepped out of the way. "A creature from the realm of darkness has no place in the kingdom!" The creature lunged at him. Seto just held up his Millennium Rod. "Now, Millennium Rod, relinquish this beast, I beseech thee!" Massive amounts of energy emitted from the rod and ensnared the creature. Seto moved his rod so that it was pointing to the tablet. The creature was pulled into the tablet where an image of the creature formed on it.

Yami gasped. It was impossible, but… _Could this be the origin of Duel Monsters?

* * *

_

"So now what?" Yugi asked Shadi.

"The Pharaoh has gone to the world of his memories," Shadi explained. "It was created three thousand years ago from the Pharaoh's collective experiences. This journey is a gift as well as a curse."

"And what's that suppose to mean?" Harold asked.

"The Pharaoh will live out his memories, when he battled the great evil for the fate of man kind."

"He can't!" Amara protested.

"We have to find him and bring him back to the present!"

"You can't, the only way he'll return to the Millennium Puzzle is by reigning victorious."

"At what?" That was Joey.

"The ultimate Shadow Game."

"That's not fair!" Tea exploded. "We came here to find the Pharaoh's identity, not to see him put in harm's way again!"

"You tell me you knew about this all along and you did…" As Joey moved to grab Shadi by the cloak, his hand passed right through his body. "Hold on, this guy is some kind of hologram!"

"No, actually I'm a centuries old spirit."

Joey panicked and ducked behind Tristan. "Why am I the only one freaked out by talking to a ghost?"

"Soon, the Pharaoh will engage in the ultimate Shadow Game against his ancient rival, the tomb thief Bakura."

The humans gasped. "Bakura, are you sure?"

Shadi nodded, "He too is a wandering spirit much like the Pharaoh and me. Three thousand years ago, he tried to obtain the Millennium Items to unleash a great evil upon the land, and I have a feeling that is the reason he instigated the ultimate Shadow Game and was pulled in with the Pharaoh."

"Wait, so Bakura is back there with him? We have to stop him!" Yugi cried.

"But the Pharaoh beat him the first time, why can't he beat him again?" Joey asked.

"I think we're forgetting something," Amara said. Everyone looked at her. "Think about it, the Pharaoh is forced to relive his memories but there's one key difference between what happened a century or three ago and what's happening now."

"Of course," Yugi said beginning to catch on. "The Pharaoh has knowledge of the future."

"Correct," Shadi confirmed. "That is what makes this the ultimate Shadow Game, both competitors in it are privy to knowledge of events and circumstances to come, so things are not bound to play out as they did thousands of years ago."

"That's why we have to go back there and make sure the Pharaoh defeats Bakura!"

"And if the Pharaoh's past is destroyed, then he has no future," Tea pointed out. "Which means…"

"If the Pharaoh fails, it will be like we never met," Yugi said solemnly. "And it is because of him that I met all of you guys so…"

"So in other words, if you and the Pharaoh didn't meet, then we wouldn't have been friends."

"Right," Yugi said. "Everything we've worked so hard for, everything we gained, it'll all be gone, for nothing." He turned to Shadi. "Shadi, you must know a way we can get into the Pharaoh's memory world, otherwise you wouldn't have come here. Please tell us!"

"There is one way to enter the Pharaoh's memory," Shadi said. "And the doorway lies within your Millennium Puzzle."

Yugi thought about the maze of corridors and staircases. "But how are we supposed to find it, it's like a maze in there!"

"Trust me, and I'll be your guide," Shadi assured them.

* * *

Yami-Bakura laughed as he covered himself in fine clothes and jewelry. "One can never be dressed too formal when you're visiting a palace." He patted the sarcophagus he was sitting on, "And since I wouldn't want to show up empty handed, I'll bring this along as a peace offering." He picked up the sack of gold and jewels he carried and turned to his soldiers. "Now come, we mustn't keep the king waiting."

* * *

"Well done, Seto," the Millennium Eye holder congratulated.

"Thank you, Master Aknaden, now what shall we do with him."

"We've expelled the darkness from him," Aknaden pointed out. "We'll make him spend a few days in the dungeon and then release him. No need to do anything more extreme."

"If I am not mistaken, Mahad," Seto told the Millennium Ring holder as guards escorted the criminal away. "Palace security is your charge, so perhaps you could shed some light on this afternoon's events, how did this intruder get past undetected?" Mahad was silent. "Well go on, or will you take responsibility for once in your life?"

"Master Seto," the Ishizu look-a-like scolded.

"It is my fault, Master Seto," a guard captain said. "Please don't blame Master Mahad, I gave the guards some time off to celebrate the coronation of the great Pharaoh, that was reckless on my part."

"Nevertheless, Captain Ansif," Seto started.

"No," Mahad said. "Master Seto is right, palace security is my responsibility." He genuflected before Yami. "Please, accept my apologies, my Pharaoh, the Millennium Ring has been acting strangely as of late making it difficult for me to detect evil activity. With your permission, I would like to increase security to fortify the city."

"Of course, please do," Yami confirmed as Seto ordered the stone tablet to be placed in the sanctuary.

As Mahad turned to return to his place , he passed by Captain Ansif who smiled and said, "I suppose it pays to be the Pharaoh's favorite."

The Ishizu look-a-like grabbed Ansif by the neck, "Learn your place, you little toad," she snapped.

"Maybe you should learn your place, Miss Isis," Ansif returned.

"That's enough, both of you," Shada said.

"Yes," Seto agreed. "Mahad has accepted responsibility and the Pharaoh is safe, the issue is closed."

Yami sat back in his throne. _Is all this what Bakura meant by the ultimate Shadow Game? _He wondered.

"Do not fret, my King," Shimon said. "I've been placed in charge of constructing your royal tomb and the security there is top notch."

"My tomb?" Yami questioned.

"Correct, the traps I have placed there are so elaborate, nobody would be able to access it for thousands of years!"

_Or at least three thousand, _Yami thought.

Suddenly the Millennium Necklace started to glow brightly. "Lord Aknaden, my Millennium Necklace is sensing a evil force coming from outside the kingdom!"

"How far, Isis?" Aknaden asked.

"What's going on?" Yami asked Shimon.

"This being lurks just outside the city walls," Isis said. "And it bears a great power!"

* * *

Yami-Bakura and his troops stood on a hillside just outside the city. "I think it's time we make our presence known." The horses galloped down the hill. "Let the ultimate Shadow Game begin!"

To Be Continued


	4. Secrets of the Pharaoh Pt 2

Yu-Gi-Oh! Avatar  
Secrets of the Puzzle

Fanfic Chapter 286: Secrets of the Pharaoh Pt 2: The King of Thieves  
Episode Basis: The Intruder Pt 1

Previously on Yu-Gi-Oh! Yugi and his friends arrived in Egypt to discover the secrets of Yami. The Ishtars led them to Egyptian ruins that contained the real tablet. Once again Yami held up the Egyptian God Cards to the stone tablet and once again he and Yugi were separated. This time, Yami was pulled into the tablet. He awoke to find himself in Ancient Egypt with some very familiar faces holding the Millennium Items. Apparently they were celebrating his ascension to the throne. And Yami got a first hand look at how the Millennium Items were originally used, to extract and contain creatures hidden within the souls of men. Yami thought he would finally be able to discover his past. But he's about to encounter a problem because he's not the only one who got sucked back in, Yami-Bakura also come back intending on making sure history changes in his favor.

* * *

The citizens of the Egyptian city looked up in horror as strange cloaked figures galloped into town firing flaming arrows everywhere setting everything (and one) ablaze. The leader, a man wearing a long robe opened to reveal his chest, and a headdress with a sarcophagus dragging behind him charged towards the front of the palace.

"Halt in the name of the Pharaoh!" Guards commanded.

"Stand aside if you value your lives!" Yami-Bakura leapt over the guards leaving his minions to deal with them.

* * *

Mahad, the owner of the Millennium Ring, cried out as the ring started thrashing around wildly.

"Mahad, what is it?" Aknadin, the Millennium Eye wearer asked.

"The Millennium Ring! We are in the presence of great evil!"

"Oh no!"

A cry caused everyone to turn to look at the entrance to the throne room. A guard was felled. Yami-Bakura walked into the room.

"Pardon the interruption, but it appears someone left me off the guest list."

"Bakura!" Yami seethed. Dancers and attendants scattered from the room as Yami-Bakura approached. "What do you want from me?"

"Now is that any way to speak to an old friend? Besides, I think you know what I came here to acquire."

"The Millennium Items!"

"So you have been paying attention after all!"

* * *

Back in the present, Yugi said, "So let me see if I get this straight, Shadi, all I have to do is find a doorway in the Millennium Puzzle."

"Yes, but the Puzzle contains many doorways, someone which may lead to death. Therefore, I will guide you. But when you wish to return, you're on your own."

"We've got no choice, Yug, let's do this," Joey said.

"We're all with you," Tristan added.

"I'm all set," Harold confirmed.

"I think I'll just stay out here, you know, in case anything bad happens," Amara said.

"You're coming with us, Amara," Harold said. Amara groaned in despair.

"Thanks a lot, guys, really, but I'm afraid I have to do this on my own."

"No way, we're all in this!" Tea argued.

"Look, I put your guys' lives in danger far too many times before. If something were to happen to you it would be my fault. If someone must lose their life here, then it might as well be me."

"NO!" Tea snapped. "Yugi, we've stuck together with you on every adventure for the past four years! We're not about to leave you now. If something were to happen to the Pharaoh… or you… I could never forgive myself. So I'm coming along to make sure nothing bad happens to either of you."

"Isn't this argument kind of moot?" Amara asked. "Isn't Yugi the only one who can go inside the Puzzle?"

"Joey, Tristan, and I were inside the Puzzle before when we battled Anubis," Harold said. "But I'm not sure how…"

"But you do, Harold Kumara," Shadi said. "The answer is in your hand… or rather on your wrist."

Harold gasped and looked down at his Armlet. "My Armlet!"

"You can read the text on the Armlet."

"I think Ishizu said it was a prayer."

"Not just any prayer," Shadi said, "But a prayer to bind those who are close. Osiris and Isis were not only husband and wife, but brother and sister as well. After Isis was able to resurrect him, he made a prayer so that they and those like them, would never part."

"Well fire that baby up," Joey said. "We don't have a whole lot of time to lose." Harold nodded.

"Everyone, join your hands," Shadi instructed. As soon as they formed a semi-circle, Shadi held up his Millennium Key. "Now, Harold, invoke the prayer and bind our spirits to the Millennium Puzzle."

"By the grace of Osiris who loved his sister-bride, let two souls torn apart be joined through love and light." The Armlet triggered the Millennium Key which triggered the Millennium Puzzle. It caused a chain reaction.

* * *

In ancient Egypt, Yami-Bakura was having fun at the Pharaoh's expense. "I hope I didn't ruin your celebration."

"Your mockery is a disgrace to the Pharaoh and for that you must be punished, rogue," Seto said brandishing the Millennium Rod.

"Not so fast, I reside on the outskirts of your little kingdom so your rules don't apply to me. Now if you don't mind, hand over your Millennium Items! Of course I don't expect to get them for free, I come bearing gifts!" He tossed gold objects and jewelry onto the ground.

The Pharaoh and the Priests all gasped. "You stole those!" Shimon accused.

"How dare you!" Aknaden hissed.

"I figured that those trinkets wouldn't be enough so I brought something more valuable for trade." He whistled and his horse came charging in bearing the sarcophagus. He placed his foot on it. "Say hello to your former Pharaoh!"

"You dare disgrace the former Pharaoh?"

"Now you've taken this too far, Bakura," Yami said standing up. It was time to see how well he can adjust to these ancient rules. "Your soul must be judged by the Millennium Items."

"He's right," Seto agreed and ordered a sealing tablet set up behind Yami-Bakura.

"Your weak magic can never contain me!"

Shada, the holder of the Millennium Key said, "No mortal can defy the sacred items."

Khalim, the holder of the Millennium Scale, stepped forward. "Hold it, the Millennium Scale is unable to find balance. That means the evil in his heart is immeasurable."

Akenaden confirmed this with the Millennium Eye. "I see a darkness that knows no bounds. His soul is a bottomless pit which houses a hideous creature!"

Shada held up his Millennium Key. "Now, Millennium Key, reveal the beast inside!" In his mind's eye, he saw a huge snake-like beast which seemed to swallow him whole. The power was so overwhelming that Shada physically took a step back. "That's no ordinary beast!"

"What did you see, Shada?"

"The most powerful being I ever witnessed. That sealing tablet is much too small."

"That's ridiculous," Seto said.

"Seto is right, we never had any difficulty before," Akenaden added.

Yami-Bakura was laughing through all this. An explosion of energy emitted from him and Diabound emerged. But this wasn't the Diabound used in the duel against Kaiba, this one was at least twice the size of the humans and its features had grown distinct.

"Unbelievable, how can such a creature be housed within the heart of a petty thief?"

"I am not just a petty thief I am the King of Thieves, Bakura! And I like you to meet my friend. Diabound, meet the Pharaoh; and Pharaoh, meet the instrument of your destruction!"

"I'm afraid you are mistaken, thief," Seto said. "Your monster's fate is sealed. Millennium Rod, activate!" Energy lashed out and surrounded Diabound. Diabound was forced into the tablet. "Just as I expected his soul had been cleansed."

But Yami-Bakura was still laughing. "That magic was pathetic, you obviously are the weakest when it comes to using your Millennium Item!"

"What?" The tablet cracked and Diabound was freed.

* * *

"Yugi… Yugi, wake up!" Yugi opened his eyes. Joey was sitting over him. "You okay, Yug?"

"I am; what about you, Joey?" Joey nodded.

"We're fine too," Harold said helping Amara up.

"I think I fell on my head," Amara complained.

"Then you're all right," Harold said.

Tristan and Tea were still unconscious but Joey woke them with a nudge. "Where are we?" Tristan asked.

"We're inside the Millennium Puzzle, remember?" They looked around and saw doors and staircases all over the place and at odd angles.

"This place seems bigger than last time," Joey commented. "Did you do some remodeling?"

Shadi appeared. "The Puzzle is a reflection of the Pharaoh's mind and is always changing," he explained. "As the Pharaoh learns about his past, the Puzzle will expand even more."

"Then let's get off our butts and find the Pharaoh."

* * *

Kaiba had a bad feeling ever since his duel against Bakura. And usually, his bad feelings turned out to be right. He wanted to turn the Millennium Eye over to Yugi, knowing he would love the thing, but when he called the Game Shop, Yugi's Grandpa said he left the country. Double checking with the airlines confirmed that Yugi and his friends boarded a flight to Egypt the previous day. _Why would the Geek Squad run off to Egypt, _Kaiba wondered. _And why now? _He stared at the Millennium Eye.

_ "Tell me, have you ever stopped and asked yourself why you love your precious Blue-Eyes White Dragon so much? Why the thought of anyone other than you controlling them infuriates you to no end? Do you know why? The answer lies in the sands of Egypt, Seto."_

_ Bakura must've gotten to Yugi also.

* * *

_

Yami was getting irritated at Yami-Bakura's mocking.

"Fiend!" It was the Egyptian captain from earlier charged forward at Bakura with a sword. He swung but Bakura caught his hand and flipped the guard over him.

"You'll have to do better than that."

"Sacred Guardians of the Pharaoh, we must unite to defeat this adversary," Akenaden announced.

"Yes," the others said. They held out their arms. The attachments extended like wings. "Dia!" They called out.

Yami recognized the gestures. "You have Duel Disks?"

"What's a Duel Disk?" Shimon asked. Yami motioned to the device on his arm. "That's a device used to call forth shadow creatures sealed within stone tablets. Once these monsters have been trapped in stone, they are stored in tablet sanctuaries until somebody summons them using a mechanism called a Dia Diankh."

"Like ancient Duel Disks," Yami related.

"Be careful," Aknaden warned. "He's a wily one. We must combine our powers."

"Fear not, I can defeat this thief on my own."

"Seto," Aknaden said in a warning tone.

But Seto raised his Dia Diankh on high and called out, "Ancient creature I call upon thee, awaken from your slumber and join me in this battle!"

* * *

Far away from the city were seven pyramids surrounded by obelisks. These pyramids (small compared to others) had single chambers but the chambers were stacked high with stone tablets with creatures pictured on them. One of the tablets started to glow. A beam of light shot out from the top of the pyramid. It immediately arched towards the castle.

* * *

The beam of light struck Seto's Dia Diankh. An outline of the creature appeared on the arm band. "Now I summon Garestgolath!"

"So this is how it all began," Yami muttered as a dragon roughly the same size as Bakura's Dia Diankh. "I'm witnessing the origin of Duel Monsters! These are some of the first Shadow Games ever played."

"Garestgolath, attack his Diabound!" The dragon lunged forward.

"Now, Winged Sage Falcos, come forth!" Another burst of light produced a humanoid falcon which destroyed the dragon.

"It can't be!"

"Only those in the royal court may do that."

"Yes, how did you summon that beast? You don't have a Dia Diankh!"

Yami-Bakura laughed again, "Don't you remember? I paid a visit to your former Pharaoh's tomb. And while I was paying my respects I thought I would help myself to a few of his toys." He pushed up the sleeve on his robe to reveal a Dia Diankh which he promptly activated. "Dia!"

"Can't you see you're playing with forces beyond your control?" Isis asked.

"Obviously not, I am in complete control of these forces thanks to your former King and his personal collection of monsters."

"You dare disturb the guardians of the tomb of the great King Aknamkanon?" Seto asked.

"Those creatures were put there to protect his body during his journey to the afterlife and for his return," Aknaden added.

"Bull," Bakura spat. "He won't ever return from the underworld, after he destroyed my village trying to forge the seven Millennium Items!"

"You lie! King Aknamkanon used the Millennium Items to protect and unite this country after our secession from Atlantis and attack by Alexander the Great."

"You're the liar," Bakura returned. "Everything he did he did to further his own power. He sacrificed hundreds of lives to forge those items. He was the ultimate evil who deserves to wander the bowls of Hell for what he did!"

"Blasphemy!" Aknaden repeated. "There has been no greater Pharaoh throughout Egypt's history than King Aknamkanon. You are the ultimate evil!"

"Am I? The Millennium Items are designed to interact with the darkness in the heart of whoever uses it. That makes all of you just as evil as I am."

Yami's head was swimming from all these revelations as Bakura and the Priests bickered.

"Deep within the ruins of Kul Elna lies the Millennium Stone," Bakura said (more like hissed). "It was from there that 999 souls were sacrificed to forge the seven Millennium Items. A 'noble King' would never do such a thing even to obtain peace."

"What you speak is treason," Aknaden accused. But in his mind he was thinking _How can he know about the village of Kul Elna? The secrets of that village were buried ages ago! _"I don't know where you came from, Bakura, but I know where you must go: to oblivion! Seto, destroy him!"

"Nothing would please me more, Master Aknanden. Let our Shadow Game continue."

"Very well then, show me what you got!"

All the guardians raised their Dia Diankhs. "I call upon Battle Ox!"

"Bastet!"

"Spheria!"

"Zelua!"

"Gadius!"

"Illusion Magician!" This time, six of the seven tablet sanctuaries flashed as a wide array of beast and mythical monsters appeared. "Magician, attack!" A little purple man carrying a staff stabbed it into the Winged Sage Falcos destroying it.

"You'll have to do better then that," Bakura said scowling for the first time. "Diabound, teach these amateurs how to really attack! Engage with Helical Shockwave!" The monster fired a wave of vibration energy which immediately destroyed two monsters and knocked the rest back.

"I've never seen such strength."

"But he's severely outnumbered."

"Please, allow me to attack again," Mahad requested.

"No, Mahad," Seto rebuked, "Your monster will only be destroyed."

"Let me try."

"You will have another chance but we need to weaken his monster first," Seto said. "I summon Mystic Horseman!" A centaur appeared. "Khalim, take over."

"By the power of the Millennium Scale, I invoke the spirits of Battle Ox and Mystic Horseman. Combine!"

"This must be… the origin of monster fusion." The two monsters turned into orbs of light and melded into one another becoming a four-legged Battle Ox.

"Behold, Rabid Horseman! Now attack his Diabound with Battle Ax Swipe!" The combo monster leapt up and charged forward. Diabound wrapped its snake end around Rabid Horseman's arm.

"It looks like your pony's all tied up."

"I'm afraid that won't be for long. Mahad, this is your chance!"

"Illusion Magician, come hither, activate your power of binding illusion!" The little magician fired a circle from its staff which bound Diabound around its waist.

"Looks like it's your monster that's in a bind now."

"Oh you think so? Diabound, Helical Shockwave!" A burst of energy broke the circle that bound Diabound. Illusion Magician and Rabid Horseman were destroyed and all the priests were thrown back.

"How can this be?" Shimon wondered. "One man overpowering six priests?"

"If I were you, Pharaoh, I'd consider replacing your staff!"

Yami cursed. "Damn you."

"I was already damned when my village was destroyed! Diabound, Helical Shockwave!"

"Spheria shield!" Isis's monster set up a shield which protected everyone. Unfortunately Spheria was destroyed and the backlash sent Isis flying into a wall.

"Isis!" Mahad cried.

"This isn't over," Aknaden said.

"It might as well be."

Silently Yami got up from his throne and walked across the room. Ignoring the cries of his court, Yami stormed up to Bakura and with unexpected strength backhanded Bakura off the sarcophagus. Returning to where the priests were, he said, "Leave this palace before I remove you!" His voice was low and almost sinister.

"Pharaoh!"

"Please let us battle this intruder for you."

"Bakura, is this the ultimate Shadow Game you spoke of? Does it involve stepping on sacred ground and tarnishing this very name of my ancestors? You've always been despicable but now you reached a new low!"

"Oh please, you don't know the first thing about your ancestors, but here maybe this will jog your memory." He kicked the sarcophagus over to the Pharaoh's feet.

Shimon, upon seeing the sarcophagus, ran over to it and dropped to his knees sobbing. "Oh King Aknamkanon, I'm so sorry your return to the palace has to be so disgraceful." He looked up at Yami. "I'm sorry you had to see this, Pharaoh, but this monster mustn't be allowed to dishonor our heritage by spouting false accusations and lies! You mustn't believe anything he says. The former Pharaoh, King Aknamkanon, was a kind and noble ruler. He ruled with justice and compassion."

"I believe you," Yami said. When he touched the sarcophagus, he felt a spark. "Wait… of course."

"While I'm sure you and the former Pharaoh have a lot to catch up on, we are in the middle of a battle here, right when I was about to win. Now, any last words before I kill you and take the Millennium Items for myself?"

Calmly, Yami stood up. "Dia." With steel in his eyes, he activated his Dia Diankh. "Actually, I do. Justice lies with the Egyptian Gods!"

The priests were shocked. "Are you referring to the three legendary Egyptian God Monsters who guard the Pharaohs Tomb? Ancient scriptures say that only the chosen one would know the names and that he would use them to deliver Egypt from its darkest hour. Could it be…?"

"By the power of the Millennium Puzzle, I command you to awaken and rid this palace of this darkness! I summon… OBELISK THE TORMENTOR!"

* * *

The only remaining dormant tablet sanctuary came alive. One of the three tablets that adorned the top started to glow. A large beam of light shot into the air. A vortex of clouds gathered over the palace and light descended.

Then Obelisk appeared.

He looked a little different from the card version. On his head was a headdress. But he was no less menacing.

"This can't be happening!"

"Obelisk, attack with Fists of Fury!"

"Now, Diabound," Bakura commanded. "Use the power of Blue-Eyes! White Lightning!" Diabound formed a blue and white energy orb and launched it. The two attacks collided engulfing everything in light.

* * *

Kaiba felt a chill run down his spine, something that almost never happens. He looked at the Millennium Eye. _I could've sworn I just heard Blue-Eyes.

* * *

_

On a pinnacle overlooking the palace, a young woman with blue hair in a simple peasant's garb stared at the humongous shaft of light rising from the palace. In her hands she held a small pouch.

To Be Continued


	5. Secrets of the Pharaoh Pt 3

Yu-Gi-Oh! Avatar  
Secrets of the Puzzle

Fanfic Chapter 287: Secrets of the Pharaoh Pt 3: Friends and Foes  
Episode Basis: The Intruder Pt 2

Previously on Yu-Gi-Oh! The thief king Bakura stormed the palace of the Pharaoh to obtain the seven Millennium Items. And he brought plenty of things for the new Pharaoh. He bought his ultimate shadow creature, Diabound. He bought treasures taken from the tomb of the previous Pharaoh. And as the icing on the cake, he bought along the sarcophagus of the previous Pharaoh, King Aknamkanon. Yami bore witness to the first Shadow Games as the six priests used their Dia Diankhs, a wrist-mounted device similar to a Duel Disk, to control tablet-mounted monsters in sanctuaries to battle Bakura. But Bakura was able to hold his own against all of them. Yami decided to enter the fray, summoning Obelisk the Tormentor. The priests were all shocked. Meanwhile, Yugi and his friends entered the Millennium Puzzle to find the Pharaoh. Will they make it to him in time?

* * *

Everyone watched in shock and awe as Obelisk matched power with Diabound. "This is impossible," Aknaden cried. "Their power is equal!"

The collision of power forced both creatures back. Both Yami and Bakura recalled them to their Dia Diankh.

"He withstood the power of an Egyptian God," Seto exclaimed.

"Such power," Captain Ansif muttered while nursing his shoulder.

Bakura wiped a trickle of blood from his mouth. _Had I not absorbed the power of Blue-Eyes White Dragon, that surely would've been the end of me. _"This isn't over, Pharaoh!" He whistled for his horse and galloped through the five (wait, weren't there six?) dancing girls.

"Guards, after him," Captain Ansif commanded. Bakura leapt over the walls (and guards) and rode off into the city.

_Was I sent back to the past to relive these events all over again? _Yami then looked up and spotted something unusual: a giant upside down pyramid floating in the sky. He called for Shimon who came out with Mahad. "What is that strange object in the sky?"

"I can't see anything," Shimon said.

"Pharaoh, maybe we should go inside," Mahad suggested.

Yami reluctantly agreed but wondered why he could see it but nobody else could. _Does it have something to do with Bakura's ultimate Shadow Game?_

Seto and Aknadin also came out to the balcony. "My King," Aknadin addressed. "You fought bravely this night."

"Yes," Seto agreed. "It's because of you we can all relax for now."

_If only Kaiba could see himself fighting boldly by my side, _Yami mused.

* * *

Speaking of which, Kaiba was at Kaiba Corp trying to get some work done but instead he kept staring at two things: the Millennium Eye and his Blue-Eyes White Dragon. "Can't these people see that it's just a card game?" He zeroed in on the Millennium Eye. "What are you looking at? Forget it, I'm not going to Egypt and that's that." He scoffed. "Look at me, I'm talking to a golden antique eyeball." As he held it close to his eye, it started to glow. Kaiba saw an image of Yugi (really Yami) and himself standing on a balcony at night. Kaiba was so shocked that he dropped the Millennium Eye.

A little while later, the Blue-Eyes White Jet was cruising over the pacific. _I've been hearing about this ancient nonsense for far too long. The only way to shut these people up for good is to prove them all wrong.

* * *

_

Seto and Aknadin were meeting deep within one of the tablet sanctuaries. "Any word on Bakura?" Aknadin asked.

"Captain Ansif has a several squadrons of guards after him, he won't get far."

"Really? After seeing his frightening display of power, I would have to disagree." Aknaden turned and stared at the wall containing the tablets of the Egyptian God Monsters. "Listen, Seto, we are not dealing with an ordinary thief, this thief contains a monster with power to rival the Egyptian Gods."

"Master Aknadin, I just had an idea. These tablet sanctuaries are filled with monsters that we've pulled from the hearts of evil doers. Surely there must be others out there who harbor as much darkness as Bakura, wouldn't you say?"

Aknadin was beginning to catch on with what his pupil was suggesting and he didn't like it. "Seto, what you're suggesting is completely immoral not to mention quite dangerous."

"With all due respect, Master, would we not be reducing the number of lawbreakers that wreck havoc on this kingdom every day?"

"Perhaps."

"And in the end we would be creating this monster army to protect the people of Egypt. Is that not the oath we swore when we became priests?"

Aknadin had to admit Seto had a point.

A guard came running in. "Please forgive this intrusion, Masters, but the Captain… he's caught the thief."

"What?" The two priests asked at the same time.

* * *

Yami was talking with Shimon and Mahad inside a room piled high with scrolls (Yami figured it was the ancient Egyptian equivalent of a library). "Shimon earlier you spoke of some prophecy, what prophecy did you mean?"

Shimon sighed, "I prayed that this wouldn't come in our lifetime. Back when the former Pharaoh King Aknamkanon was my student, a scroll was found in a jar near the Dead Sea. The scroll was said to come from Osiris himself, and was said to be a warning. One day Egypt would find itself in its darkest hour. When that happens, a Pharaoh who can command the gods will appear and deliver us. The fact that you were able to summon one of the three gods lends some credence that you are the Pharaoh from that prophecy."

_That's only because I was able to summon them in the future. This is quite the paradox. _"Then the evil that I'm supposed to deliver Egypt from might be Bakura."

"The scroll did not mention who or what that great evil was, but it would be very sinister." Shimon sighed again.

Another guard, a young-looking one with a scarf and turban on his head so only his brown eyes could be seen appeared. Yami recognized him as the guard who was with Captain Ansif right before Bakura attacked. "I apologize for disturbing you, my Pharaoh, but Captain Ansif sends his regards. He asked me to tell you that he caught the thief."

_Finally, maybe we can end this once and for all. _"Take us to him," he commanded.

"Yes, my Pharaoh." Yami, Mahad, and Shimon met up with Seto and Aknadin and picked up Isis along the way and all preceded to the throne room.

"Hold still, you little miscreant."

"Let me go, you big galoot."

"You shall pay dearly for your crimes."

"It was just an apple… okay and some bread, you don't have to chop my hands off over it."

"Oh you'll lose much more than that you little…"

"Captain Ansif, what is going on here?" Yami asked.

"Ah, Pharaoh, perfect timing, I finally caught the little rat that's been plaguing us for months."

"That is not Bakura," Aknadin said stating the obvious.

"With all due respect, Master Aknadin, I did not say it was Bakura, just that it was a thief. This little worthless waste of breath has been stealing from us for a while and I finally caught her."

"The palace is under lockdown and you disturb the Pharaoh with such trite," Aknadin scolded.

"Wait." Yami stepped forward and stared at the thief who wore a bag over the head so any features were disguised. But the voice clearly wasn't Bakura. However, it did sound awfully familiar. "Remove the hood," he instructed Ansif.

"But Pharaoh…"

"Remove the hood," Yami repeated more forcefully.

Ansif slump his shoulders. "As you command, my Pharaoh." He lifted the cloth sack from the thief.

The thief was a girl, her short dark hair ended at the shoulder blades and her brown eyes seemed to be filled with anger. She wore a gray v-neck smock and baggy white pants. Seto recognized her as one of the dancing girls from the ceremony.

Yami gasped, the thief wasn't Bakura but she did look familiar, "Tea?"

"Tea?" Shimon questioned. "Are you praying, Pharaoh?"

"No, don't worry about it," Yami quickly brushed off.

"I ask that you judge this miserable witch," Ansif said.

"You have no right to request anything, Captain," Seto said. "Do not forget that it was your slack in the watch that allowed Bakura to tread so far in our castle walls."

"Wait a minute." Yami leaned in close. He noticed that one of her arms was falling limp at her side and she had a lot of red marks on her face and body and only a bit of them was blush. "How did she get these bruises?"

"I confess there was a scuffle in me trying to subdue her."

"Subdue my foot you were trying to kill me," the girl snapped. "You threw me against everything but the fire!"

"Captain Ansif, need I remind you that as Captain of the guards you are representative of the Pharaoh to the people," Aknadin scolded. "Any violent actions you take you take in the name of the Pharaoh."

"Forgive me, My Pharaoh!" Ansif pleaded.

Yami instead addressed the girl thief. "What is your name?" The girl seemed reluctant to speak. "It's okay, you can tell me."

The girl looked ashamed for a second, probably because the Pharaoh was standing so close to her. "Ananzu."

Yami was taken aback. Ananzu was the name of the original Avatar, the one who defended and aided him in his fight against the Warriors of Doma. He looked down at her wrist. But she wasn't wearing the Avatar Armlet, so did this happen later or… "Did she have anything on her possession?"

"Just food, Pharaoh."

_She obviously doesn't have it now. If I'm going to defeat Bakura, I may need her help. _He turned to Isis and silently cursed that he couldn't remember her name.

It took Isis a second to realize that the Pharaoh was trying to catch her attention. "My Pharaoh?"

"Clean up her wounds. Afterwards return her to the throne room. I will hear her story then."

"I shall do as you command, My Pharaoh." Isis and Ananzu left through a side door while Seto, Aknadin, and Shimon left through another doorway.

"Captain, do not disturb us again unless lives are at stake," Mahad said.

"At least I was successful," Ansif jabbed. "You call yourself a powerful magician yet you couldn't even beat one thief, for once the Pharaoh needed to protect his priests rather than the other way around."

Mahad was rapidly losing his cool. He was clearly getting ready to attack Ansif but Yami held him back. "Captain Ansif, I don't think you appreciate the severity of our situation. Bakura is still out there, he has a monster that can stand up to an Egyptian God; he has powers never seen here before. All the priests have fought valiantly and I'm proud of all of them."

Ansif grunted, "We'll see about that," he muttered and left along with the masked guard that first alerted Yami and Mahad.

"My Pharaoh, forgive my attitude, my Millennium Ring has apparently developed a mind of its own, I can not control it; it has infuriated me."

"I understand, uh…" Again, Yami mentally cursed for not recalling his name.

_Mahad_

"Think nothing of it, Mahad."

"Perhaps we should retire," Mahad suggested.

Yami reluctantly agreed.

The two left the throne room and proceeded across a balcony. As they passed by a group of jars, one of them suddenly rattled.

"Did you hear that?" Yami asked.

"Stay behind me," Mahad instructed. "Who's there? Show yourself!" With a loud squee, a girl leapt out of the pot and landed in Yami's arms.

"What the…"

"Mana, what are you doing, get off of Pharaoh this instant!" Mahad pried the girl off of Yami.

Yami got a better look at her. She was his age (plus or minus a century or three) wearing a white shoulder-less dress. Her face looked vaguely familiar but Yami couldn't place when or even if he saw her before.

The girl, Mana, pouted, "You mean I can't visit my oldest and dearest friend? Ever since he's become the Pharaoh it's like he's already forgotten about me."

"It's only been one week." Mana blushed.

Yami was still trying to digest this new information. "You're Mana? We grew up together?"

"I know it's only been a week but please tell me you haven't forgotten me already, I mean we only studied magic together since we could hold up spell books."

Yami was flustered. "Uh… yeah, of course, I just…"

"You haven't been wandering around the desert uncovered have you?"

"Mana, that's enough," Mahad said. "Things are not as they used to be. He is the King of Egypt now and he does not have time to…"

"Does not have time to speak for him self?" Mana finished in a joking manner.

"That's not true," Mahad quickly denied. Then he changed the subject, "How did you get past the guards anyway?"

"Well my magic's been improving." She looked down the steps. Yami and Mahad followed her glance and saw that the guards were not moving. They were alive, there eyes were open, but it was like they were frozen in mid-air.

"Don't tell me you used your freezing spell," Mahad sighed. "We need those guards to protect the palace! Haven't you heard what happened tonight?"

"Oh, sorry," Mana said more to Yami than to Mahad. She waved her hand. The frozen guards flashed briefly but nothing happened.

"Your magic's been improving, huh?"

"Just a second." Mana materialized a book and frantically looked through it.

Yami watched the banter between Mahad and Mana and smiled. _It's good to know I have friends.

* * *

_

Bakura lounged against a rock cropping over a cliff while eating a fig. _Perhaps trying to get all seven Millennium Items at once was a bit ambitious. For now, I'll just focus on one in particular and the others will follow.

* * *

_

Early the next morning Mahad along with Captain Ansif and a platoon of guards patrolled the city.

"Look at this mess," Ansif says referring to the burnt buildings.

_Bakura will not get away with this, _Mahad thought.

"Excuse me." Mahad looked down to see a little boy staring up at him. "Are you here to stop the bad man from burning the city?"

Mahad smiled. "Yes, we'll make sure he doesn't burn this city or any city ever again."

"Good." And the boy ran off.

"Was it wise to lie to him like that?" Captain Ansif asked.

"As long as I live, I will not let Bakura get his way."

Ansif looked down. "Master Mahad, your Millennium Ring."

Mahad also looked down. The spikes on the Millennium Ring were pointing towards a distant hill. Mahad and Ansif followed.

Bakura was standing on top of the hill. He quickly took off over the apex.

"After him," Ansif commanded his guards.

"Don't bother," Mahad said.

"But Mahad…"

"I know what he's after, my Millennium Ring, he'll be back."

Ansif saw his opportunity. "If you're that worried, Master Mahad, then you should just get rid of it or pass it along to someone else." The end of his mouth curled up in a smile. "I would gladly carry the burden for you."

"You know as I do that it's not that simple. The only way a Millennium Item can be changed hands is through death of the previous holder and even then a mystic ceremony is required to choose a new owner."

"Then if I may make a suggestion, Master, if you are so determined to fulfill your promise to that boy…"

Mahad listened to the Captain's suggestion.

* * *

Yami walked through an inner courtyard, Mana not far behind skipping on the ledge of a pond. "So tell me is everything going to be changed now that you're this big and important Pharaoh?"

"To be honest it's hard to remember what life was like before I was king," Yami replied.

Mana stopped her skipping. "You must have a lot on your mind."

"I do."

"But you still have time for me, I'm glad."

"Excuse me, my Pharaoh." It was Ansif's second-in-command. Mana was so shocked that she lost her balance and fell into the pond.

"Yes, what is it?" Yami asked.

"The girl Ananzu, she is waiting for you in the throne room."

"Thank you." Yami turned to Mana. "Are you all right, Mana?"

"I'm fine, more fat-headed than flustered."

"Good, then I'll see you later." Yami and the guard left.

Mana whined, "I'm all wet." She then saw Isis and Mahad meeting in a corner of the courtyard. "Are they…" She got on her knees (still in the water) and watched.

* * *

As the guard said, Ananzu was waiting in the throne room sitting on a wooden chair. Her arm had been bandaged. Yami whispered something to the guard and walked in. "How is your arm?"

"Better, thank you." She looked around. "That guard, he isn't…"

"You mean Captain Ansif? No, he's nowhere near. You have nothing to fear, I would not let an innocent soul get hurt."

"I'm not innocent," she said. "I am a thief."

"But you steal food, right? You steal to live, I'm sure you don't like it. You are an innocent in that you do not like to see harm done to others."

"How do you know so much about me?"

"I know someone like you. And I can see it in your eyes. Tell me about yourself."

"I am honored you would want to learn more about me." Yami was still getting used to people showing him reverence.

Ananzu told her story, of the hardships she and her family had to face living below the poverty line, how anyone who's ever extended a helping hand were either killed for such an action or had alternative, sinister motives. Yami only half-listened to her. In his mind, he was remembering something Dartz told him during their duel.

_ "When word reached us that the Egyptian colony was in turmoil due to magical interference, the great Ironsmith Kuloth forged an object which would have the power to quell both the magical and the personal turmoil that threatened the Egypt Colony. He was able to finish it but not before falling ill. He died soon after but we still had to get the Armlet to Egypt. So it was sent in the care of his daughter, whom we called The Maiden. It was the greatest of these maidens, whom we no longer call by her birth name, who delivered the Armlet to Egypt."_

_I could've sworn that it was Ananzu, the one who aided me during our fight against the Warriors of Doma, who was the Maiden, but she doesn't have the Armlet. But she clearly had it in the vision Kaiba and I was shown at Battle City. But if she isn't the Maiden, who is?_

"I don't have it."

"What do you mean?" Yami asked.

"If I was a stronger person I would be able to protect my family, protect those I care about. But I don't have it." Ananzu didn't know why she was pouring her heart out to the Pharaoh, who probably has way more important things to do than talk to a petty girl thief.

"Strength is not only limited to physical dexterity, Ananzu," Yami said. "True strength comes from the heart, the desire to protect those you love. It was that desire that allowed me to beat the thief Bakura last night. And I know you have a strong desire to protect the people you love." The guard came in holding a bag of food. Yami took it and handed it to Ananzu. "Here."

Ananzu was surprised. "You… why would you show me such kindness, I am nobody, I am lower than low."

"There is only one person who's lower than low and that's Bakura. Ananzu, I fear Egypt is about to face dark times. Even though I may have the power of the Millennium Puzzle, it is at its strongest when there are others by my side. Can I count on you, Ananzu?"

Ananzu took the food. "I don't know what I can do that you can't, Pharaoh, but… I promise to repay your kindness." Yami had the guard show her out. _All this can't be a coincidence. I just hope that whatever is about to transpire that I'm ready for it. Yugi, if there was ever a time when I needed your spirit, now is that time._

The End


End file.
